How to Record From Bigo TV: A Quick Guide

Updated

Record public Bigo TV live streams with the CaptureGem desktop app on Windows, macOS, and Linux. You don't need a Bigo account.

1. Install CaptureGem

CaptureGem is free to download and use, and you don't need an account. Download CaptureGem for your computer, or update to the latest version, then:

  • Windows: right-click the .zip file, choose Extract All, and run CaptureGem.exe from the extracted folder, not from inside the zip. If Windows SmartScreen warns you, click More info, then Run anyway. When Windows Firewall asks, allow CaptureGem.exe and recorderd.exe.
  • macOS: open the .dmg file, drag CaptureGem into your Applications folder, and open it from there.
  • Linux: extract the archive, make the AppImage executable with chmod +x, and start CaptureGem with the included launcher.sh.

2. Copy the room link

Open the broadcaster's room on Bigo TV and copy the address from your browser's address bar, such as https://www.bigo.tv/bigo_id. CaptureGem recognizes links from bigo.tv, www.bigo.tv and m.bigo.tv, and uses the last part of the address as the broadcaster's BIGO ID.

If a room you can watch in your browser shows Offline or Errored in CaptureGem, add it again by typing the BIGO ID shown on the broadcaster's page instead of pasting the link. The display nickname may differ from the BIGO ID.

3. Add the stream

  1. On the Record tab, paste the link into Enter URL or Username in the Add Stream panel. CaptureGem selects Bigo TV for you. You can also choose Bigo TV under Select Website and type just the BIGO ID.
  2. Leave Monitor Only off so the stream is saved.
  3. Click Add Stream.
CaptureGem Record tab with Bigo TV selected in the Add Stream panel
CaptureGem Record tab with Bigo TV selected in the Add Stream panel

4. Record the show

If the broadcaster has a public live stream, the status changes to Recording within a few seconds. Otherwise the Status column tells you why:

  • Private: the room is password-protected, or the broadcaster is live without a public stream.
  • Offline: the broadcaster isn't live.
  • Errored: the room could not be checked or recorded.

Hover over a status to see more detail, including the reason for an Errored status. Select a model to see its Actions, such as End Recording and Open Video Folder.

CaptureGem Record tab with several models recording and the Actions panel open for the selected model
CaptureGem Record tab with several models recording and the Actions panel open for the selected model

Try it free, then upgrade for full shows

The free version is enough to check that recording works on your computer before you pay for anything.

  • Free: saves up to 5 minutes per recording and lets you add up to 10 models. It records a model only if they're live when you add or start them, so start the recording again if the model was offline.
  • Premium: removes those limits and adds auto-record, which starts recording whenever the model comes online and restarts after a disconnect. See Premium plans.

Auto-record (Premium): select the model on the Record tab, click Modify Auto Record under Actions, choose Record Always, and click Confirm. To auto-record every model you add, turn on Auto Record All Newly Added Models in Settings.

CaptureGem Recording Settings dialog with Record Always selected
CaptureGem Recording Settings dialog with Record Always selected

Open the Monitor tab to see live previews of everything you are recording.

CaptureGem Monitor tab showing live previews of the streams being recorded
CaptureGem Monitor tab showing live previews of the streams being recorded

5. Find your recording

When a recording ends, CaptureGem converts it into a video file; long recordings take a little while. Then:

  • Open the Review tab to play, trim, tag or delete it.
  • Or click Open Video Folder on the Record tab to open the folder it was saved in.
CaptureGem Review tab listing finished recordings with Play, Edit and Delete buttons
CaptureGem Review tab listing finished recordings with Play, Edit and Delete buttons

Recordings are saved as MP4 files by default. With Premium, each file is up to 60 minutes long by default, and auto-record starts the next file straight away. You can change the save location, the file length (Cap Video Segments at Duration (Minutes)) and the file container in Settings.

CaptureGem Basic Settings with Auto Record All Newly Added Models and Cap Video Segments at Duration
CaptureGem Basic Settings with Auto Record All Newly Added Models and Cap Video Segments at Duration

Bigo TV notes and troubleshooting

  • Stream ends while recording: The recording stops with Errored. The part recorded before that is kept and converted as usual.
  • "BigoTV returned code …": Bigo TV refused the room lookup. Check the BIGO ID and that the stream plays in your browser without signing in, then try again.
  • Quality: CaptureGem records the best quality the stream offers. When a stream comes in more than one quality, you can set a lower limit for Bigo TV under Max Resolution Per Site in Settings > Advanced Settings.

If a recording keeps failing, update CaptureGem to the latest version, check that the stream plays in your browser, and ask in our Discord community. Premium members can also send a failed recording to support.

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Start recording Bigo TV

Download CaptureGem and add your first Bigo TV stream in a few minutes. It's free, and you don't need an account. The free version saves up to 5 minutes per recording, which is enough to check that Bigo TV records on your computer before you pay. Premium records full shows, removes the 10-model limit, and starts recording automatically when a stream you added goes live.

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